The Eyes are the Windows to the Soul
by Ari Powwel
Summary: [one-shot] Songfic to 'Bring Me to Life'. Ryou-centred. We all know what happened to him . . . but what's his side of it? (only rated PG13 for Ari's language . . . tsk, tsk.)


Ari: ^_^ **brings up a new Word file** What's that noise . . .  
**a plot hole opens above her**  
Ari: **looks up** Uh-oh . . . **runs**  
**a ton of stuff falls through, Ari recognises a lot of it. When it seems the rain of items has stopped, she walks over to examine it**  
Ari: SUGAR!! ^____^ **hides it inside a room and comes back** Let's see . . . this stuff . . . seems familiar . . . OF COURSE!! **climbs over to her computer and checks** Yup . . . suppose the down-under dudes got tired of it . . . or else there was something else . . . Damn. **picks up tape, snickers, pockets it, and searches for more stuff** HEY! **climbs on desk and yells into plot hole** Gimme those clothes, dammit!!! **jumps down and continues searching, snaps fingers and a door appears, labelled 'Blackmails'. Ari picks up the rest of the flyers and such and pushes it through the door** Now . . . lessee . . . Yuugi's teddy . . . Yami's game . . . comics, footie pyjamas, hey, I never heard about these! **laughs and throws the said things into 'Blackmails'** Black Magician plushie, and **gasps** NO! Framed . . . pictures . . . **tosses them into 'Blackmails' so fast she has to snap in a soft item so that they didn't break**  
Ari: Well, that's all of it. But how come they didn't go back up to them . . . musta found an easier way. Or the plot hole appeared there and in trying to get it gone they threw all this down until they found what would get rid of it. **has no idea how close to the truth she's getting** . . . hmm . . . blackmail now or later? Hey . . . what's that noise . . . **looks up** Oh, SHIT!! **runs again**  
**giant concrete block falls out of it and lands on her desk, destroying it and pinning all her writing things underneath. The computer was quite luckily not hit, but the plugs were destroyed, dooming it anyways**  
Ari: **examines the block** **climbs on top** What's this? **reads** 'I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!!' **sees, for the first time, all the scorch marks and cracks all over it** I understand now . . . DAMMIT . . . stupid plot holes always open here . . . **waves arm at a set of doors with labels: Mary-Sues, Extra Millennium Items, Gary-Stus, Extra Keyblades, Pink Plot Bunnies, Wings, the Six-Eyed Monster ((Do Not Open!!)), and Other. And now Blackmails** Now . . . what to use . . . wings wouldn't help, neither would the pink plot bunnies . . . damn things. Hadta soundproof the room so I couldn't hear them screaming their Mary-Sue ideas out . . . Tom's 'pet' could probably destroy it, but that'd mean letting it in, and I already said no to that. Ooh! Idea!! **walks to the Mary-Sue door** does anyone in here have a set of Paint pens?  
Mary-Sue: Why would we let you have them?  
Ari: Good question, erm . . .  
Mary-Sue: Angel Lorelei Caitlyn Amber Kate Mills.  
Ari: O.o . . . Angel . . . Lorelei . . . what?  
Angel: Angel Lorelei Caitlyn Amber Kate Mills.  
Ari: Right. Because if you give me them, Angel Lorelei Whatever Else Your Name Is, I may just be nice and decide to write your story. **is immediately surrounded by 16 packs of Paint pens** Right, then. Follow me! **accepts the pens**  
**the Mary-Sues in question are halfway out the door when --**  
Angel: What in the name of us is that?! **points at block**  
Ari: **smugly** Writer's block. And you know how my writing is when I have it . . .   
**door slams and a dustball goes by**  
Ari: heh heh heh . . . **pulls out a pretty blue Paint pen and starts writing on the side of the block:   
  
**Title:** The Eyes Are the Windows to the Soul  
**Author name:** Ari Powwel  
**Author email:** eight_muses@hotmail.com  
**Summary:** songfic to 'Bring Me to Life'. Ryou-centred. What's his side of the story?  
**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by various publishers including but not limited to Kazuki Takahashi and Shueisha, Inc. Song lyrics belong to Evanscence. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
**Author's Notes: **Second story, same song. Started at 8:40 PM.  
And I'm a dubbie. Argh. **bangs head on desk**  
A few things you must know:  
~ This was not written all in one sitting. It's been worked on over a period of days. As a result, I was more than likely depressed when I started it, and the next time I worked on it, halfway happy. So forgive that.  
~ Lastly, this may only be the second piece of YGO fanfiction I've posted, but _don't let that cloud your judgement of it_. I've been writing fics ((they may not have been YGO, but I've written)) since November of 2001. Feel free to criticise anything you want. Personally, I think this story is _bad_. I would appreciate some tips on how to make it better. Argh.  
~ Finally, I ask you to please review my luffly fic. **glomps fic, then turns and glomps Ryou-chan**  
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Ryou:

_~ How can you see into my eyes_

_Like open doors_

_Leading you down into my core_

_Where I've become so numb ~_

I've always been told that the eyes are the windows into a person's soul. And at that precise moment, I believed it. The person standing in front of me was terrifying, a person to fear. I could see it in his eyes . . . they shone with hatred and malice. 'Who – who are you?' I stammered, backing up. Normally, seeing someone I didn't know wouldn't faze me, but before he had appeared, my ring had begun _glowing_ . . . and the fact he was an exact replica of me was a bit unnerving.

The person didn't speak, instead glaring at me as he reached into his pocket. What was he pulling out . . . I tensed as his hand left his pocket, then relaxed as I noticed what he was holding: a duel monsters deck. He noticed my movements, and spat out the first words he'd said since he'd appeared: 'Don't think that just because it's a card, it can't do anything.' He held up one of the cards: Dark Necrophia. The ring around his neck glowed, and I gasped as the monster appeared before me.

'What did you _do_?' He smirked, but didn't answer. 'Well, will you at least tell me why you're here?' Another smirk, and Dark Necrophia disappeared. He drew a second card from the deck.

The Change of Heart card. My personal favourite . . . 'Really, now. Quite fitting, I'd say,' he said, his ring glowing again. I _felt_, rather than saw, the light envelope me, and wondered exactly what was happening. 'The Change of Heart card gives a player control over their opponent's monster,' he sneered. 'Or body, as the case may be.' Seeing my confused look, he sighed. 'I wait for so long, and end up with this _baka_ . . . fate has a cruel sense of humour.' I heard his last words faintly, 'Almost as cruel as mine,' before I found myself floating above my body. As I watched, my body collapsed into a heap, hitting the floor with a dull _thud_. The person looked around the room a moment before his gaze settled on me. He flashed me a sadistic sneer, then said, 'You may call me master . . .'

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

_~ Without a soul_

_My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead_

_It back home_

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside_

_(Can't wake up) Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark_

_(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run_

_(Can't wake up) Before I come undone_

_(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become ~_

*        *        *

' . . . and I'll place this card face-down,' a voice called out. Somehow familiar . . . I concentrated, trying to remember it. 

Of course! That . . . _thing_ that had been in my room. 'I sacrifice my Jellyfish to summon the Roaring Ocean Snake!' another voice said. They were duelling . . .

_Roaring Ocean Snake's attack strength is 2100. If I use it now, then I can unleash a direct attack upon him _. . . the person's voice echoed in my head, but he wasn't speaking . . . could I hear his thoughts? 'I activate my facedown card, the Change of Heart card!'

Bright sunlight hit my face; I was somehow _appearing_ on the playing field . . . I looked down at myself. 

I was the card! I was the Change of Heart card?! But . . . _how_? 'And now, your Snake will be under my control!' I felt myself moving forward, becoming the Snake . . . what was going on? I was _in_ the game? It was all so strange . . . 'Roaring Ocean Snake makes a direct assault upon your life points!' A wave of energy came forward from myself, covering the other player. I watched as his Life Point count drained to zero. 'You are defeated.' Then I was fading from existence, going back to the darkness until I was summoned again.

It wasn't long, this time; not much time had passed before I found myself out in the real world again. This time, however, it was night, and I wasn't on a playing field. Thank goodness.

However, now I was facing the other me . . . somehow, he had altered his appearance to look just like me – although, admittedly, it wouldn't have been that hard. 'Now, listen up,' he spat. 'You are my servant. You aren't to do anything that could displease me, and you are to win my battles for me. If you don't obey my orders, I could destroy you. Do you understand?'

I couldn't say anything. What are you supposed to do when another version of yourself is ordering you to be his slave, and has already done . . . _something_, made you less than a soul?

_Good_, I heard him say to himself. _Tomorrow we destroy the Pharaoh and claim the Sennen Puzzle!_

The Sennen Puzzle? . . . hadn't I heard Yuugi and his friends talking about a puzzle? Could it be that the other me was planning on attacking them?

I wondered if he could hear my thoughts, as I could hear his, as I faded away for the second time that day.

As I floated, suspended somewhere, I thought to myself. I was the Change of Heart card, quite obviously. If the other me was planning on attacking them, what could I do? I experimented, concentrating on the real world. I was shocked when the world materialised around me quickly. I saw the other me was sleeping on the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing somehow if he knew what I was doing, I'd be in trouble. 

All through the night I worked, trying to escape confinement. I wasn't able to completely escape, but I could now move around freely. Perhaps . . . I saw the other me begin to stir and willed my form away, returning to the world I'd called Nowhere.

*        *        *

_~ Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life _

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside_

_(Can't wake up) Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark_

_(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run_

_(Can't wake up) Before I come undone_

_(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life_

_I been hypnotised_

_There's nothing inside_

_Bring me to life_

_All of this sight_

_I can't believe I couldn't see_

_Kept in the dark_

_But you were there in front of me___

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems_

_Got to open my eyes to everything_

_Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul_

_Don't let me die here_

_You must be sacrificed ~_

'. . . little Yuugi,' I heard the other me sneer. He laughed, a low snicker that somehow sent chills up my spine.

'Leave the young one out of this!' shouted a voice. It was harsh, cold somehow.

'Why should I? By simply destroying him, I defeat you as well. You're here to die to protect him? Then protect him against this!'

I felt myself begin to materialise, amidst shouts of 'Yuugi!' What was going on? As my sight cleared, I looked around the playing field.

'Ah!' cried Yuugi. 'It's Bakura!'

Directly across from me was a giant Yuugi . . . and a smaller Yuugi was bent over in pain in front of him?! Jonouchi was there, as the Flame Swordsman, and Honda, the Cyber Commander, and so was Anzu, as the Magician of Faith. Yuugi was the Black Magician . . .

'The real Bakura!' Anzu said.

So . . . the other me was duelling Yuugi? I smirked to myself. He hadn't intended on my new abilities . . . 'Bakura!' Yuugi gasped. 'So your soul was sealed into your favourite card, too!'

So that was what had happened? I smiled a bit, noticing that the other me had one other monster on the field: Lady of Faith. Fitting. 'I want to help,' I told Yuugi, 'but we must act quickly, Yuugi!' I flew over to the Lady of Faith, taking control of her. I looked at him. 'I've taken control of one of his monsters, instead of yours. I'll control her while you attack me! You can win against the evil Bakura!'

'I can't! I'd be destroying you! Sending you to the graveyard!' Yuugi cried.

'_I don't care!_ It's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit!' When he hesitated, I shouted, _'Do it!'_

'Be quiet!' my other side snapped at me.

'I have a better idea,' said the big Yuugi. 'If the evil power of Bakura's Sennen ring can pull souls from people – perhaps the power of my Sennen puzzle can put them back!' I felt a curious sensation . . .

_~ (Wake me up) Wake me up inside_

_(Can't wake up) Wake me up inside_

_(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark_

_(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run_

_(Can't wake up) Before I come undone_

_(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life_

_I been hypnotised_

_There's nothing inside_

Bring me to life ~ 

I opened my eyes again and looked around, barely hearing the cheer from below. 'All right!' Jonouchi yelled. 'Our Bakura's back where he belongs!' 

'But where's the evil dude?' Honda asked. I looked down at the stone that served as a playing field, and saw the other me standing as the Lady of Faith.

'This can't be!' my other cried. 

'Listen closely, Yuugi,' the big Yuugi told the smaller one. 'Use the power of the Black Magician. Send him to the card graveyard – _now!'_

Yuugi (the small one) attacked him, and my other disappeared, going to the graveyard.

I found that I couldn't speak. Was that person really gone? I fervently _hoped_ so. So deep in thought was I that I didn't notice the darkness around us fading to the normalcy of the forest foliage, nor Yuugi, Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu becoming normal, nor the disappearance of the other Yuugi. I followed them out of the forest, chuckling as Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda fell into slumber almost immediately. 'So, what happened, Bakura?' Yuugi asked, flopping down himself. 

'I'm not sure, exactly,' I replied, settling onto the ground. 'All I know is that he appeared in front of me, just glaring. Then, he held up the Change of Heart card and said something about how it took over an opponent's monster, and it would give him control over me . . . then I found myself somewhere else.'

'What do you mean?'

' . . . I don't know, really. There was nothing . . . I was aware of myself, but around me . . . there was _nothing_.' 

We both sat in silence for a couple minutes before Yuugi asked, 'Then what?'

I shrugged. 'I came back to the real world, finding out that I was the Change of Heart card. The battle was won, I disappeared again. Then he told me that I was to serve him, but I somehow heard one of his thoughts. He said that he was going to claim the Sennen Puzzle.' I shook my head. 'Well, I couldn't let him do that, so that night I made up my mind to fight him. Then, I did, and here we are.'

Yuugi nodded. 'Are you okay, Bakura?'

'I am now, thanks to you.'

'Hmm . . . where did you get your Sennen ring?' Yuugi nodded towards the ring.

'My father picked it up on one of his trips,' I explained. 'He told me it's from ancient Egypt – I think that's where they're all from. He was shopping at a merchant bazaar, when the Sennen ring caught his eye. The man that sold the ring to my father said it had something to do with Duel Monsters, but that never made any sense to me, since the card game is new, and the ring is clearly ancient.

'When my father got back, he gave it to me. He said he felt I was destined to have it.'

Yuugi started to say something, but Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu began to awaken. As we walked to them, Honda commented, 'I just dreamt Bakura went totally mental.'

'Same here,' Jonouchi groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Last time I snooze with duelling cards under my pillow.'

I smiled at them. 'Sleep well, guys?'

'Bakura!' Jonouchi and Honda both yelled, clutching at each other. Slowly, they looked at each other, then sprang apart with shouts of, 'Hands off!', and 'You grabbed me!'

I laughed along with Yuugi and Anzu at their antics, but that laughter was cut off as Anzu recalled, 'I dreamt we were dressed as Duel Monsters.' Yuugi and I shared a glance. '. . . and there were two Yuugis!'

Yuugi panicked visibly, 'Uhhh . . .'

He was spared from explaining when a scream went up from the forest, catching looks from all of us. 'What was that?' Jou asked.

'I don't know, but whatever it was, we'll face it together!' Yuugi called, already racing towards the source.  

The rest of us followed quickly, knowing that this was only the beginning . . .


End file.
